Merseyside footballer shot dead in Costa del Sol ambush as family condemn ‘cowardly’ attack

A Merseyside man was shot dead in what his family have described as a cowardly ambush outside a football pitch on Spain’s Costa del Sol, an inquest has heard.

Steven Gray, 32, was fatally shot on April 21, Easter Monday, near a popular sports complex in Calahonda. Originally from Bootle, he had been living in Malaga for about a year.

Mr Gray had just finished playing in a football match at the Club del Sol and Finca Naundrup sports complex when he was attacked. An inquest at Bootle Town Hall was told that a witness saw two people get out of a car at around 7.45pm and heard gunshots shortly afterwards.

Death was confirmed between 8pm and 8.30pm. The vehicle used by the attackers was later found burned out, with two firearms discovered inside. Mr Gray had been walking back to his car when he was shot and was found lying on the ground beside it.

His mother, Lynn Gray, told the ECHO that her son was killed without warning.

Merseyside footballer shot dead

“Steven was walking to his car after playing football with his friends. As he reached his car, with his back to them, the cowards shot him from behind,” she said. “He did not see it coming and died instantly at the scene. This cruel and cowardly act has devastated his family and friends. My son will rest easy knowing how loved he always will be.”

She added that Steven had moved to Spain to escape gang culture and had no involvement in it.

“He went to Spain to get away from that life. Steven came from a family who care for him and always have and always will love him very much,” she said.

The inquest heard that Mr Gray was a talented midfielder and a lifelong Everton supporter. His family said he was spotted by the Everton academy at the age of four and played at a high level until a serious leg break ended his progress. His mother told the hearing that her son’s “secret idol” was Steven Gerrard and that his style of play was often compared to the former Liverpool captain.

Ms Gray told the court that violent deaths often lead to unfair assumptions.

“When the death is so violent, people judge and make assumptions. They judge the family as well,” she said.

Senior coroner Anita Bhardwaj reassured the family, saying: “We are not here to judge anybody.”

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A post mortem examination carried out in Spain recorded the cause of death as severe haemorrhaging caused by gunshot wounds to the thorax and abdomen.

The inquest heard that repeated attempts by both the coroner’s office and Mr Gray’s family to obtain further information from Spanish authorities had proved unsuccessful.

“What we have is extremely limited because they are not providing us with any information,” Ms Bhardwaj said.

She concluded: “From all the information available to us, there was no lawful reason to shoot Steven. I therefore find that Steven died as a result of unlawful killing.”

Offering her condolences to the family, the coroner added: “We are conditioned to lose our parents, but we are not conditioned to lose a child before us.”

Local residents told Spanish media they heard between eight and 10 shots at the time of the killing. Newspaper Sur reported that a Seat Cupra with foreign number plates was found ablaze a short distance from the scene and that police were searching for two hooded suspects.

The investigation is being led by the Guardia Civil. Police have declined to comment further while inquiries remain ongoing.